Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“Jesus, that’s annoyin’,” the older man said. “Think she might have pierced my eardrum.”
“What are you doing here? Who are you?” Michael demanded.
“Name’s Sean Carmichael,” the older man said. “You might know me as Liam’s grandfather.”
“We’ll split the money with you,” Eleanor said. “You can have a third.”
Sean let out a loud laugh. “A whole third? And you think that would be worth betrayin’ my grandson? Me flesh and blood. No, lady. I won’t be doin’ that. Come here, Charlotte.”
He held out a hand and helped her up. For an older man, he was surprisingly strong. He wrapped an arm around her to hold her up as she faltered.
“Liam?” she whispered. “Nico? She said she had someone following him?”
“Someone following him? I doubt that. Nobody would work with these two. And he’s with Liam. My boy would have spotted a tail.”
Oh, thank God.
“They’ll be here soon.”
And then she heard a noise from outside, and Liam and Nico rushed in, their faces filled with fear that quickly returned to relief. With a cry, she threw herself into their arms.
Safe. She was safe.
24
Liam walked back into the room where his grandfather stood, staring down at the two people who had dared to take what was his.
Twice.
Lottie had told him everything.
Fuck.
It was going to take him a long time to get over this. He knew that there was no real love between himself and his brother, but he’d never thought he would do all of this.
“Ah, there you are,” Sean said cheerfully. “How’s our girl?”
“I’ve sent her home.” With an armed escort thanks to his grandfather. The first thing he was going to do tomorrow was hire several more bodyguards for both her and Nico. She hadn’t wanted to leave him, had clung to him, crying. It had nearly broken him, having to push her into Nico’s arms.
After calling Jardin to update him, he’d come back in here.
“She told you everything about what these two had planned?”
“Oh yeah, she told me everything.”
“You can’t believe a word from her, Liam,” Eleanor said. Her hair was messed up and there was dirt on her face. She’d be horrified if she could see herself right now. “She’s obviously got problems. Delusions. We were trying to help her.”
“Stop. Just stop.” Liam strode over and crouched down by his stepmother. Reaching out, he gently brushed back her hair. “You made my life hell for so many years. Everything was about your son. My father allowed it. Turned his back on your abuse. But I will never forget. This, I can believe of you. But you,” he turned to his brother, “we could have had a relationship. Could have been real brothers. But you let her corrupt you. And now, you’ll both pay for touching what belongs to me. For terrifying her. For leaving her with that abusive asshole.”
He turned to the old man. “You might want to leave.”
“I was just goin’ to say the same thing to you, boyo.”
“This is my problem to take care of.”
“There’s no need for you to bloody your hands when mine are already drippin’, boy.”
Liam raised his eyebrows. “Thought you’d want that? Be a way for you to try and force me into the family.”
His grandfather shook his head. “Learned a few things in my old age. One of your cousins can take over the family business. All idiots, but I’m hopin’ to train one of them up. What none of them can do is replace you. My only daughter’s son. To have you in my life, I’d do whatever I had to. Including backin’ off from convincin’ you to inherit my job.”
Liam let out a sigh. Whether he’d do it or not, he didn’t know. But those words meant more than his grandfather realized.
“So let me do this for you, boyo. Keep those hands clean for when you go home to your boy and girl.” He shook his head. “Ménage relationships, not somethin’ I’d ever thought would happen out in the open. Mind you, in my day, plenty of that went on behind closed doors. The stories I could tell you.”
“Save them for another day.” He looked back at Michael and Eleanor. “If you’re sure.”
“I am.” A cold look entered Sean’s gaze as he stared down at them.
“Wait! Liam, you can’t let him do this! Liam!” Michael screamed.
Liam left without looking back.
He had somewhere better to be.
When he arrived home, he took a deep breath. He was shaking. He held out his hands, looking down at them as they trembled.
Fuck. Fuck.
He’d nearly lost her. Again.
Walking down the hallway, he paused at the door to see his girl curled up in Nico’s lap. She was crying softly.
“I need him to come home, Nico.”
“He will. He’ll be here soon, pretty girl.”
“I want him here now. I’m scared.”
“Nobody will get to you. I’ll kill anyone who comes through that door.”